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Designing Skill Challenges
Reference Book: Star Wars Saga Edition Galaxy of Intrigue Main Article: Skill Challenges Designing a Skill Challenge is much like designing a combat encounter. As the Gamemaster, you determine the location of the Skill Challenge, the obstacles and antagonists that might play into the scene, several options for providing the heroes with variety, and the consequences of success or failure. Conceptually, Skill Challenges and combat encounters are similar, although they differ in execution. This section walks you through the creation of a Skill Challenge, from the initial concept to challenge effects that can be added to spice things up. By following these steps, you can create Skill Challenges that contribute to exciting scenes in the Star Wars tradition. Choose the Concept The first step in creating a Skill Challenge is coming up with a compelling idea. Typically, when forming the basic concept, you want to focus on three primary areas: creating a cinematic scene, involving all the heroes and giving them meaningful ways to contribute, and producing a satisfactory resolution to their actions and to the Skill Challenge as a whole. First, create a cinematic scene. Think of the many scenes in the Star Wars films. The ones that best translate into Skill Challenges are those in which Skills are more useful than combat prowess in resolving the situation, characters take risks to achieve rewards, and the heroes' actions have a sense of tension that encourages them to take risks. For example, breaking into the bunker during the Battle of Endor meets these criteria. Although combat is taking place around them, the heroes (Specifically Princess Leia, Han Solo, R2-D2, and Chewbacca) don't try to blast their way into the bunker, but instead use their Skills to get inside. They take risks, such as attempting to hot-wire the controls, earning both successes and failures (Such as when R2 is blasted away from the control panel). The scene is filled with tension because the heroes know that if they do not disable the deflector shield, the Rebel fleet attacking the second Death Star will be crushed. When coming up with a basic concept for a Skill Challenge, consider these questions: * How does the scene encourage or require Skill use? * What kinds of risks can the heroes take to achieve success? * What provides the sense of tension for the scene? With these questions answered, you can start building more specific concepts for the challenge. Second, involve all the heroes and give them meaningful ways to contribute. You do not have to tailor every element of the Skill Challenge to specific characters, but do find ways to include elements and actions that interact well with the party's talents. For example, if the heroes have plenty of technical skills and enjoy using gadgets and computers, you might want to design Skill Challenges that let them calion those resources. Of course, not all heroes in a group have the same skills, so a challenge such as this one should also provide opportunities for the nontechnical characters. For example, if the party includes a slicer, an outlaw tech, and a Starship pilot, you might create a Skill Challenge that focuses on using those heroes' talents to steal a Starship from a top-secret facility. However, the party probably also includes a Soldier, a Noble, or a Scout who might have different skills. Perhaps they could subdue the guards at the facility, talk their way past security checkpoints, or sneak into the control room to plant a malicious program the slicer cooked up. Your concept of the Skill Challenge should be broad enough to suit multiple heroes. Lastly, think about the different directions in which the Skill Challenge can evolve. Although you can never fully predict the actions the heroes might attempt, you can probably foresee some of the Skills they might employ and sketch out a few ways in which the Skill Challenge can develop. Consider how the basic situation might change- both for the better and for the worse- as the heroes take actions, and how the challenge might reach a satisfactory resolution. Remember that the heroes' actions should have repercussions. Consider the Duration After coming up with a good concept for your Skill Challenge, decide how long it should take, in terms of real time and game time experienced by the heroes. Since a Skill Challenge is somewhat more abstract than a combat encounter, it can unfold over the course of a gaming session or even an entire adventure. Similarly, a Skill Challenge might represent an individual scene in the lives of the heroes, or it might span multiple scenes and be broken up by other events and encounters. When designing a Skill Challenge, you do not necessarily need to set strict guidelines for its duration, but do consider how it should unfold and at what pace. Some Skill Challenges are meant to be resolved in a relatively short amount of game time. In such cases, present situations that lend themselves to being finished without interruption. For example, a Skill Challenge based on surviving travel through an asteroid field is unlikely to be interrupted by other scenes and should be run straight through from beginning to end. These types of Skill Challenges take less time at the gaming table and often reach resolution in one scene (Or in very few scenes) as the story unfolds. Other Skill Challenges that play out over a long sequence of game time might have interruptions. For example, consider a Skill Challenge that revolves around hunting down a crime lord that has gone into hiding. You can design a series of consecutive scenes that relate directly to the Skill Challenge, but you can also break up the action with combat encounters (Perhaps the heroes jump some of the crime lord's thugs and attempt to subdue them) or interesting roleplaying scenes (Perhaps the heroes talk to a bartender in a cantina frequented by the crime lord). The Skill Challenge might even be interrupted by another, shorter Skill Challenge- for example, the heroes flush the crime lord out of hiding but then must engage in a speeder chase to finally run him down. Determine CL and Complexity Now that you have a basic concept for the Skill Challenge and a general idea of how long it should take, you can determine the two most important factors: the Challenge Level (CL) and the Complexity. Setting the CL of a Skill Challenge is just like setting the CL of a combat encounter. To produce a balanced challenge and a tense scene, set the CL at or near the average level of the heroes. Setting the CL higher or lower makes the challenge more or less difficult, respectively. The Complexity of a Skill Challenge determines how many separate Skill Checks must be made to succeed in the challenge overall (See below). A Complexity 1 challenge requires the heroes to earn five successes to succeed in the challenge; a Complexity 2 challenge requires eight successes; and a Complexity 3 challenge requires 11 successes. Regardless of complexity, if the heroes fail three separate Skill Checks, they fail the challenge overall. The combination of CL and Complexity also determines the experience value of the Skill Challenge. A Complexity 1 Skill Challenge awards Experience Points equal to that of one opponent of a CL equal to the Skill Challenge's CL; likewise, a Complexity 2 challenge awards Experience Points equal to that of two such opponents, and a Complexity 3 challenge awards points equal to that of three such opponents. Thus, a Complexity 2 Skill Challenge at CL 7 is worth the same amount of experience points as defeating two CL 7 opponents. When designing a combat encounter that includes a Skill Challenge, take the challenge into account when calculating the difficulty of the encounter- just count the challenge as a number of opponents. For example, when determining the difficulty of a combat encounter that includes a Complexity 2 Skill Challenge at CL 5, simply count the challenge as two CL 5 opponents. Many times, you can include a low-Complexity Skill Challenge of a lower CL in a combat encounter to give the heroes opportunities to take actions other than fighting. Much in the same way that you might include Stormtroopers that are well below the heroes' level to soak up their attacks, a low-Complexity, low-CL Skill Challenge can take up the heroes' actions during combat without making the encounter much more difficult. Set Skill DCs The CL of the challenge determines the target DCs of Skills used in the challenge. The table below lists the Skill DCs for challenge CLs under five general categories: Easy, Medium, Moderate, Hard, and Heroic. When you create a Skill Challenge, these DCs determine success or failure for various Skill uses. As the Gamemaster, you must determine whether each hero's action has a higher or lower likelihood of success, then assign a general difficulty (And thus a specific DC) to that Skill Check. The more plausible the hero's action in the situation, the lower the general difficulty category (And thus the DC) should be. Easy Skill Checks should be used for actions that have an extremely high likelihood of success, even if the heroes don't end up with a very high check result. Examples include using Persuasion to convince a friendly shopkeeper to help or using Mechanics to perform enough repairs to get a lightly damaged Speeder up and running. You should assign an Easy DC whenever you think that the hero's action is easy to achieve and represents a good solution to that part of the challenge. Medium Skill Checks should be used for actions that have a good chance of success but might become failures if the heroes bungle the check. Examples include slicing into a relatively light security system or climbing over a security wall in a lightly defended compound. You should assign a Medium DC when you think the hero's action should succeed, but there is still some risk of failure due to a rare mistake. Moderate Skill Checks should be used for actions that have some chance of success but also a strong chance of failure. Examples include bribing an Imperial official to look the other way or flying a Starship between buildings in a planetary metropolis. You should assign a Moderate DC when the hero's action is risky but still a plausible solution to that part of the challenge. You can also assign a Moderate DC when the hero's action uses a Skill that is not optimal for the situation but that could produce results. Hard Skill Checks should be used for actions where the odds are stacked against the hero and the chance of failure is high. Examples include hiding from security guards in an open hangar or making an Acrobatics check to drop through a laser security grid. You should assign a Hard DC when the hero's action probably should fail, but when luck or exceptional skill could pull off a miracle. You can also assign a Hard DC when the Skill the hero wants to use is unlikely to produce results during that particular Skill Challenge. Heroic Skill Checks should be used for actions where success seems almost impossible. Examples include convincing a Stormtrooper to betray the Empire or using The Force to plant suggestions in the mind of a Dark Jedi. You should assign a Heroic DC when the hero's action has almost no chance of success or when it is implausible to expect any results from the chosen Skill. Higher Checks at Higher Levels The method described for assigning Skill Check DCs might give the impression that performing the same task is more difficult for heroes of higher levels, since the DCs are based on Character Level. However, the expected DCs are really just abstractions that represent many factors, with the assumption that challenges grow more difficult as heroes gain levels. Thus, a 10th-level hero making a Stealth check might need to beat a higher DC than he or she did when at 4th level because the circumstances surrounding the Stealth check are more difficult. At 10th level, the Skill Challenge faced by the hero might have more vigilant guards, better security protocols, more precise sensors, or any number of other factors that make it harder to succeed on a Stealth check. This system allows you to design level-appropriate challenges without having to figure out the statistics for every guard, officer, and computer system the heroes might encounter. That said, you are free to assign Skill Check DCs based on other factors. For example, you can assign DCs based on the Defense scores or Skill modifiers of opponents, or on the statistics for Hazards, Vehicles, or objects. Similarly, you can mix and match within a Skill Challenge, assigning some DCs based on abstractions and others on an enemy's Will Defense or Perception bonus. Just remember that the result of a Skill Check against a Defense score or a Skill modifier should still count as a Success or a Failure. Choose Primary Skills Although this step is not strictly necessary, it is a good idea to assign DCs to a small number of Skills that the heroes are likely to use in the challenge. You will almost certainly need to improvise some DCs during the challenge, but you can probably predict some of the more obvious Skill uses in advance and assign those DCs ahead of time. You should also note a few plausible uses of those Skills in case you need to provide suggested actions to heroes who are stumped or need pointers. Of course, a set of Primary Skills is merely a handy starting point and does not limit the Skill Challenge in any way- the heroes still can attempt any actions they want. In fact, you should encourage your players to think creatively and reward them for doing so by allowing them a chance at success, no matter how small. Even if a Skill is not considered a Primary Skill for the challenge, if a player suggests something that seems at least remotely plausible, give him or her the chance to try. Create Options When designing and running Skill Challenges, one of your biggest goals is to provide interesting options for the players. You should create opportunities for using a variety of Skills, effectively setting up various "Targets" for the heroes. The characters should be aware of the different elements placed before them and realize the potential for interactions. They don't negotiate only with a Hutt- his majordomo and Protocol Droid are also present. They don't simply evade a squad of Stormtroopers- they can choose to hide in the slums or sneak through the elite section of town. They don't merely navigate an asteroid field- they can plunge into a dust cloud, zoom close to one of the biggest rocks, or try to reach a less dense area that has more room to maneuver. Such opportunities will present themselves in the way you describe the scene, so keep in mind that presenting multiple characters, locations, or objects makes it easier for the players to come up with interesting actions. Add Challenge Effects Main Article: Challenge Effects The final step in designing a Skill Challenge is to add one or more Challenge Effects that modify the basic rules of the challenge. These extra effects are not required, but they can help give each Skill Challenge its own feel, just as adding special terrain features to a combat encounter can make it seem unique. If you want to use such effects, choose them in advance (Not on the fly), based on the nature of the Skill Challenge in question. You also might want to make your players aware of the effects in case their presence alters the way the heroes would behave in that situation. Success and Failure With the Skill Challenge designed, the last step is to determine the consequences of success and failure. Typically, success is self-evident- the heroes achieve the goal that they set out to achieve, such as finding the information they need or escaping from the Empire. However, determining the results of failure can be a bit more tricky. As in a combat encounter, failure should have some kind of effect on the heroes' resources. It should not prevent the story from advancing or bring the adventure to a halt, but failure should lead to negative consequences for the heroes. For example, if they are engaged in a Skill Challenge that requires them to chase a quarry with a bounty on his or her head, failing the Skill Challenge does not necessarily mean that the target gets away. Instead, it could mean that the quarry makes it to a safe house, and the heroes must fight their way in. Alternatively, the target could escape but leave behind a trail that the heroes have to follow into a more dangerous environment. The failure of a Skill Challenge should still lead the story forward, but it can create new complications and twists for the characters. In most cases, even if the heroes fail the Skill Challenge, they still earn experience points for it, just as they would for a combat encounter. Failure Conditions You should know ahead of time what the consequences of failing a Skill Challenge will be for the heroes. Below are several suggestions for failure conditions that you can use when designing Skill Challenges. Combat Encounter If the heroes fail the Skill Challenge, they are led to a combat encounter, usually one with the same CL as the challenge. Thus, if the heroes fail a CL 8 Skill Challenge, they should have a combat encounter appropriate for 8th-level heroes. In this case, the heroes earn no experience from the skill challenge; instead, their XP reward is based on the combat encounter. Loss of Allies For a more story-related failure condition, failing a Skill Challenge could result in the death, capture, or forced abandonment of allies or other relevant characters. For example, in a Skill Challenge in which the heroes fly a squadron of Starfighters through a dangerous area of space, failure could mean that none of the heroes' fellow pilots survive the trip. Alternatively, failure could mean that certain allies- whether present or distant- are captured by the enemy, opening new avenues for adventure. Loss of Equipment Similar to the previous failure condition, failing a Skill Challenge could cause the heroes' Equipment (Including Droids and Vehicles) to become lost or damaged. For example, in a Skill Challenge in which the heroes infiltrate an Imperial facility to destroy a shield generator, failure could mean that the Explosives they brought are damaged, forcing them to find another way to blow up the building. Loss of Force Point If you want to use a failure condition based on the metagame, failing a Skill Challenge could result in the loss of a Force Point for each hero who participated in the challenge. This type of failure condition could be used when the heroes have failed in a matter of importance to the adventure, representing that The Force is not with them as strongly as it normally is. Loss of Second Wind Failing a Skill Challenge could result in the loss of a Second Wind for each hero who participated in the challenge- a good choice for challenges that involve physical endurance. This failure condition represents physical exhaustion, and it could mean that heroes who have only one Second Wind per day cannot recover quickly from their wounds. For example, in a Skill Challenge in which the heroes must trek through the Felucian jungle, failure could represent the heroes reaching their destination but being exhausted by the effort.